Garment hanging fixture



March 25, 1952 A. A. CURT|S,H

GARMENT HANGING FIXTURE Filed March 11, 1950 v K l IVENToR. 26 .f4/m CMQUs] Patented Mar. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,590,297 GARMENTHANGING FIXTURE Aurea A.. Curtis, 11, Glendale, Calif.

Application March 11, 1950, Serial No. 149,201

` (C1. al1- 89) 8 Claims. 1

My invention relates generally to garment hangers, and moreparticularly, to a fixture for this purpose which may be secured to avertical surface such as a wall or door of a closet.

- FixturesV of the class above stated have been constructed in the past,but have had various difliculties, among which has been the fact thatprevious contrivances were of relatively complicated construction, thusunnecessarily adding rto their cost of manufacture. Another disadvantageof previous devices has been that they have been relatively diiiicult touse, requiring a num'- ber of successive manual operations, both inhanging up or removing a garment therefrom. With a View of overcomingthe foregoing difliculties, it is a major object of my invention toprovide afixture for hanging garments such trousers, skirts, and thelike, which 'incorporates a minimum of working parts, thus being simpleto manufacture and to operate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fixture of the classdescribed in which the working parts `are completely enclosed, wherebyto present a neatappearance and to prevent other garments or materialfrom snagging or catching` on the fixture when brushing by it.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a fixture of theclass described which substantially eliminates yany possibility oftearing or otherwise damaging garments hung therein.

A further object is to provide a garment hanging fixture from which thegarment may be released by a simple, one-hand operation.

A still further object is to provide a hanger o1" the class describedwhich rmly lgrips the .garment at a plurality of points so as .tosuspend the same in anunwrinkled condition.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a X-ture into which agarment may be inserted to be hungr therein without the necessity of anymanual operation of the fixture itself.

The foregoing and additional objects and advantages will appear from thefollowing detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment 'of'the invention, consideration being given like# .rise to the attacheddrawings, in which:

Figure l is afront perspective view of a fixture embodying theinvention, showing the cuis of a pair of trousers suspended therein;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the vhanging fixture shown inFigure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the device shown `in Figure 2;.

' Figure 4 `is an elevational section taken on the lined-4 vin Figure 2,with the parts being 'shown' in their normal rest position 'in fullline, and in a release position in phantom line;

Figure 5 is an enlarged lfragmentary horizontal section taken on theline ,E- in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is -an enlarged fragmentary oblique :section taken on the line't--S in .Figure 3';

, and the operating member I8. n "V25 may move independently of thevoperating Figure 7 is a perspective view of an operating lever employedin the fixture shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the gripping jaws employed inthe iixture of Figure l.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1, it will be seenthat the exposed portions of the fixture embodying my invention includea. curved downwardly opening housing Ill, having end slots I I formedtherein, and a forwardly projecting operating handle 22. In Figure l, apair of trousers 9 is shown suspended in the device, the cuffs beinggripped by a pair of cam-like jaws 25, and projecting slightly throughthe slots I I.

As can be seen best in Figures 3 and 4, the rearward wall of the housingor frame I0 is provided with openings I2 by which the housing may besecured to a vertical wall I5 by means of attachment screws I3, or thelike. The housing I0 also lserves as a `chassis or frame for the workingparts of the device and the forward wall is slotted, as indicated at I4,to clear the operating handle 22.

An operating member I8, the nature of which can be seen best in Figure7, is transversely posi- .-tioned within the housing I0, adjacent thelower Vthe pivot 20 outwardly. Thus, to install the operating member I8in the housing I, the separate pivot member 20 is pressed inwardlycompressing the spring 2I until the member I8 can be inserted into thehousing, the pivot I9 entering its appropriate socket Il, the other endof the member I8 being slid into proper alignment, whereupon the pivot2t snaps outwardly into .its socket il. As will be later described, thegripping jaws 25 are installed with the operating member I8.

As seen best in Figure 7, the member I8 is formed integrally with theoutwardly projecting handle 22 and a pair of inwardly extending arms.23, which are positioned between bosses 21 formed on the inner faces ofthe jaw members 25. It will be noted that the space between the bosses.2l is somewhat greater than the width of the arms 23 so as to allow asmall amount of lost `motion between the arms 23 and the respective jaws25 operated thereby.

` The jaws 25 are provided with pivot apertures which lit over the pivotmembers I9 and 20 Thus, the jaws member I8, except as such independentmovement is limited by the bosses 21 which embrace the operating arms23. The jaws are placed over the respective pivots I9 and 2B of themember I8 at the time the latter is installed in the housing I0.

As can be seen best in Figure 5, the portions of the end walls 35 of thehousing IIJ which lie rearwardly of the terminal slots II (to the rightin Figure are thickened so as to form an abutment IIa to contact theperipheries of the jaw members 25. Thus, a garment which is insertedupwardly into the slots I I will be gripped between the jaws 25 and theabutments IIa.

From an examination of Figure 3, it will be seen that, due to thecam-like shape of the jaws 25, and due to thel disposition of thepivotal axis of the member I8, a garment inserted upwardly into theslots II causes the jaws 25 to rotate upwardly (counterclockwise inFigure 3), permitting the garment to move between the jaws 25 and theabutting wall edge. It will also be seen that downward force exerted ona garment so inserted will normally urge downward rotation of the jaws2'5 and thus increase the aforesaid gripping action.

To further assure the gripping action of the jaw members 25, a doubletorsion spring 32 is mounted on the operating member I8, and has acentral V-shaped projecting portion 33 which bears against the innerfront wall of the housing I 0, and a pair of terminal arms 34, each ofwhich is anchored against one of the bosses 21 of one of the grippingjaws 25. The bias of the spring 32 is such as to urge clockwise rotation(Figure 4) of the gripping jaws about the pivotal aperture 26. Thus, atight pressure of the jaws 25 against the abutting wall edge is assured,and a garment inserted between the jaws 25 and the wall edge is firmlyheld at all times.

To assure that the jaw 25 will grip the garment against which it bears,yet will not damage the garment, the gripping edge is provided with aperipheral pad 28, the nature of which can be seen best in Figure 6.Here it will be seen that the pad, which may be of rubber, syntheticrubber, or similar resilient plastic material, is of a T-shapedcross-section, having the stem of the T inserted in a peripheral slot 29formed in the jaw 25.

Should the thickness of the material inserted under one of the grippingjaws 25 be greater than that under the other-jaw, as for example, when agarment seam would happen to fall under one of the jaws, the garmentwill still be rmly gripped by both of the jaws 25 due to the aforesaidlost motion between the jaws 25 and the operating member I8.

When it is desired to remove a garment from the hanger, a simpledownward motion on the handle 22 serves to rotate the member I8 in acounterclockwise direction (Figure 4) raising the arm 23 against theuppermost bosses 2l on the two jaws 25, and thus rotating-the jaws 25 torelease the gripping pressure and permit the garment to drop out of theslots II. In such removal operation, it is convenient to loop thegarment over one arm to suspend the same independently of the hangingfixture, and thereupon with the same arm operate the lever 22 to releasethe garment as aforesaid.

In inserting a garment, as for example, the pair of trousers 9, the sameare gripped by their cuirs at the creases therein, and the cuffs simplyinserted upwardly into the slots II forcing the jaws 25 to rotaterearwardly, and permitting the cuffs to be inserted into the positionshown in Figure i. Thereafter, when the garment is released, the weightthereof will cause downward rotation of the jaws 25 to grip the garmentas aforesaid. l

Inasmuch as the above described device does not depend for its eicacy onclose tolerances or carefully machined surfaces, the entire unit may beconstructed of cast or molded parts, requiring no machining operations.The unit may be constructed of a variety of diierent materials, such forexample, as die-cast zinc or aluminum base alloys, or molded ofthermo-setting or thermo-plastic materials.

While the device shown and described herein is fully capable ofachieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated,it will be realized that it is capable of some modication withoutdeparture from the spirit of the invention. For this reason, I do notmean to be limited to the form shown and described, but rather to thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a box-like housing havingfastening means formed therein to mount the same with a rearward wallthereof against a vertical surface, said housing having a downwardlydisposed opening and laterally spaced, aligned, vertical, open-endedslots formed in end walls thereof adapted to receive a fiat foldedgarment inserted upwardly thereinto; an operating member mounted in saidhousing on end pivots aligned on a horizontal axis parallel to saidsurface, said axis being forward of said slots; a pair of grippingmembers mounted on said end pivots and each having an eccentric jawabutting the rearward edge of one of said slots whereby rotation of saidgripping member in a direction to move said jaw downwardly, urges saidjaw toward said slot edges to grip a garment against said abutting edge,and rotation of said gripping members in the other direction moves saidjaw away from said edge to release said garment; a pair of arms formedon said operating member and extending radially from said axis adjacentsaid gripping members; a pair of bosses formed on each of said grippingmembers and positioned to loosely embrace said arms whereby to form alost motion driving connection between said operating member and saidgripping members; an operating handle formed on said operating memberand extending radially from said axis outside of said housing to permitmanual rotation of said operating member about said axis to release saidgripping members; and a torsion spring mounted on said axis andoperatively connected to said housing and gripping members, said springbeing biased to urge rotation of said gripping members in said downwarddirection.

2. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a, frame having means toattach the same to a vertical surface and having a pair of horizontallyspaced, fixed abutments formed therein; a pair of gripping members eachmounted in said frame adjacent one of said abutments for independentpivotal movement toward and away from said abutment; spring meansconnected to said frame and gripping members to urge the same towardsaidabutment to grip material inserted between said gripping members andabutments; and an operating member movably supported in said frame andoperatively connected to said gripping members to effect concurrentmovementl thereof away from said abutment to release material gripped asaforesaid.

3. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a frame having means toattach the same to a, vertical surface and having a pair of horizontallyspaced, fixed abutments formed therein; a pair of eccentric cams eachhaving a jaw portion and each mounted in said frame adjacent one of saidabutments for rotation about a horizonu tal axis to move the jaw portionof said cam toward and away from said adjacent abutment; a torsionspring connected to said frame and each of said cams to urge rotation ofthe latter in a direction to move said jaw portion thereof against saidabutment to grip material between said cams and abutments; and anoperating member pivotally supported in said frame, said operatingmember having operative connection with said cams to effect concurrentrotation thereof away from said abutments to release material gripped asaforesaid.

4. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a frame having means toattach the same to a vertical surface and having a pair of spaced, fixedabutments formed therein; a pair of gripping members mounted in saidframe adjacent said abutments for independent pivotal movement towardand away from said abutments; spring means connected to said frame andgripping members to urge the same toward said abutments to grip materialinserted between said gripping members and abutments and an opera"- ingmember movably supported in said frame and having lost motionconnections with said gripping members to effect concurrent movementthereof against the urging of said spring to move said gripping memberaway from said abutments to release material gripped as aforesaid.

5. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a box-like housing havingfastening means formed therein to mount the same with a rearward wallthereof against a vertical surface, said housing having a downwardlydisposed opening and laterally spaced, aligned, vertical, open-endedslots formed in end walls thereof to receive a iiat folded fabricmaterial inserted upwardly thereinto; a pair of eccentric cams eachhaving a jaw portion and each mounted in said housing adjacent one ofsaid slots for rotation about a horizontal axis to move the jaw portionof said cam across said adjacent slot to abut the opposite edge thereof;a torsion spring connected to said housing and each of said cams to urgerotation of the latter in a direction to move said jaw portion thereofagainst said slot edge to grip said material in said slot between saidcam and edge; and an operating member pivotally supported within saidhousing, said operating member having an operative connection with eachof said cams to effect concurrent rotation thereof away from said slotedges to release said material gripped as aforesaid.

6. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a frame having means tomount the same on ing member and extending radially from said axisadjacent said cams; a pair of bosses formed on each of said cams andpositioned to loosely embrace said adjacent arm whereby to form lostmotion connections between said operating member and said cams; and anoperating handle formed on said operating member and extending radiallyfrom said axis outside of said housing to permit manual rotation of saidoperating member about said axis to release said cams.

7. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a frame having means tomount the same on a vertical surface, and having a pair of horizontallyspaced, fixed abutments formed therein; an operating member mounted insaid frame on end pivots aligned on a horizontal axis parallel to saidsurface, said axis being forward of said abutments; a pair of eccentriccams each having a jaw portion and each positioned adjacent one of saidabutments and mounted on one of said pivots for rotation thereon to movethe jaw portion of said cam toward and away from said adjacent abutment;a pair of arms formed on said operating member and extending radiallyfrom said axis adjacent said cams; a pair of bosses formed on each ofsaid cams and positioned to loosely embrace said arms whereby to formlost motion connections between said operating member and said cams; anoperating handle formed on said operating member and extending radiallyfrom said axis outside of said housing to permit manual rotation of saidoperating member about said axis to release said cams; and a torsionspring mounted on said axis and operatively connected to said housingand cams, said spring being biased to urge rotation of said cams in anabutment-engaging direction.

8. A garment hanger comprising in combination: a frame having means tomount the same v on a vertical surface and having a pair of horizontallyspaced, xed abutments formed therein; a pair of eccentric cams eachhaving a jaw portion and each mounted in said frame adjacent one of saidabutments for rotation about a horizontal axis to move the jaw portionof said cam downwardly and toward, or upwardly and away from saidadjacent abutment; a torsion spring connected to said frame and each ofsaid cams tourge said downward rotation thereof to grip material betweensaid cam and adjacent abutment; a pair of pads of rubber-like material,one secured to each of said jaw portions to increase the grip thereofagainst said adjacent abutment; and an operating member pivotallysupported in said frame, said operating member having operative'connection with said cams to effect concurrent upward rotation thereofto release material gripped as aforesaid.

ALFRED A. CURTIS, II.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

